Letters, Emails Reveal Pruitt’s Habitual Cozying Up To Big Industry Players

UNITED STATES - MAY 16: Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt testifies during a Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing in Dirksen Building on the proposed FY2019 budget for the EPA on May 16, 2018. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
UNITED STATES - MAY 16: Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt testifies during a Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing in Dirksen Building on the ... UNITED STATES - MAY 16: Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt testifies during a Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing in Dirksen Building on the proposed FY2019 budget for the EPA on May 16, 2018. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

In a flood of emails and snail-mail letters come to light as a result of the Sierra Club’s Freedom of Information Act requests, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s close relationships with many leaders of the industries his agency is tasked with regulating became evident.

In a detailed Sunday Washington Post report, multiple examples are revealed of industry officials asking for relaxed regulation and soon after getting corresponding rollbacks.

In addition, published in a string of tweets by a New York Times reporter, many old fashioned letters also show Pruitt’s propensity for rubbing shoulders with industry bigwigs. The thank you notes to oil and gas executives often feature handwritten scrawling from Pruitt in the corners.

On Saturday, news broke that the EPA’s chief ethics official is calling for multiple investigations into Pruitt’s conduct as head of the agency.

Latest Livewire
29
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. Being dirty is a feature and benefit in Trump’s eyes!

  2. As If
    As if we didn’t know he was bought and sold
    His track record showed that
    Which is why Trump picked him.
    He is accomplishing exactly what the money boys wanted and is fucking up the environment beyond their wildest dreams.
    It will take a long, long time to repair the damage.
    Fucking Criminal

  3. Well, colored me surprised and shocked!!!

    :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

  4. Avatar for danny danny says:

    Pruitt is quite the swinger. He’s cuddled with so many lobbyists and corporate types it’s no wonder he needs his own mattress for down-time, recharging, and just to be himself for a few.

  5. Vote. Them. Out.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

23 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for old_curmudgeon Avatar for ncsteve Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for sf_brian Avatar for sickneffintired Avatar for danny Avatar for lastroth Avatar for ottnott Avatar for dickweed Avatar for darrtown Avatar for rickjones Avatar for jacksonhts Avatar for lizzymom Avatar for machoneman Avatar for jmacaz Avatar for mkposs Avatar for grack Avatar for evave2 Avatar for meb Avatar for favoritecurmudgeon

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: